Flying-boat or other aerial craft.



N. P. BILLING.

FLYING BOAT OR OTHER AERIAL CRAFT.

APPLICATION FILED JULY], 1914. 97.

Patented Apr. 25, 1916. 0? I3 SHEETS-SHEET I- N. P. BILLING.

FLYING BOAT OR, OTHER AERIAL CRAFT.

I I APPLICATION FILEDJULY7,19|4. I LWQWW Patented Apr. 25,1916.

l3 SHEETS- 8H? 2.

WlWME$WES INVIEWY'QW a ms.

N. P'. BILLING. FLYING BOAT on OTHER AERIAL CRAFT.

' APPLICATION FILED JULY]. 1914- www Patented Apr. 25, 1916.

13 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

INWIEWITOW N. P. BILLING. FLYING BOAT OR OTHER AERIAL CRAFT.

I APPLICATION FILED JULY 7, I914. L1@@,96?. v Patented Apr. 25, 1916.

1a SHEETS-SHEET 4.

N. P. BILLING.

FLYING BOAT OR OTHER AERIAL CRAFT.

. APPLICATION FILED JULY 7. I914.

13 SHEETS-SHEET 5- 71.9 I QM'QUWQMMQQ Patented Apr. 25, 1916.

N. P. BILLING. FLYING BOAT OR OTHER AERIAL CRAFT.

13 SHEETSSHEET 6- V/ mm Patented Apr. 25, 1916.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 7. I914.

WIITMEQQES N.- P. BILLING.

FLYING BOAT OR OTHER AERIAL CRAFT.

APPLICATIO N FILED JULY? 1914.

Patented Apr. 25, 1916.

I3 SHEETS-SHEET 7.

INVIEIMTOW w. G. i PQ QML, Um)

N. P. BILLING. FLYING BOAT OR OTHER AERIAL CRAFT. APPLICATION FILED JULYI, 1914.

WITNESSEQ llllllllllllm I III Patented Apr. 25,1916.

l3 SHEETS-SHEET B.

N. P. BILLING. FLYING BOAT OR OTHER AERIAL CRAFT. APPLICATION FILED JULY 7, I914.

Patented Apr. 25, 1916.

13 SHEETS-SHEET 9.

Wwmmmw N. P. BILLING.

FLYING BOAT OR- OTHER AERIAL CRAFT. APPLICATION FILED July], 1914.

' Patented Apr. 25, 1916.

13 SHEETS-SHEET I0.

N. P. BILLING. FLYING BOAT OR OTHER AERIAL CRAFT.

APPLICATION FILED JULY7,-19I4.

Patented Apr. 25, 1916. 13 SHEETS-SHEET ll- WBTWIESSIES N. P. BILLING. FLYING BOAT OR OTHER AERIAL CB AFT.

APPLICATION FILED'JULY 7, I914.

Patented. Apr, 25, 1916.

I3 SHEETS-SHEET l2- wwmmmm N. Pi BILLING. FLYING BOAT OR OTHER AERIAL CRAFT. APPLICATION FILED JULY]. 1914.

Patented Apr. 25, 1916.

13 SHEETS-SHEET l3.

ITMIIEQSIEE IIMWNEWITOW NOEL PEMBTON BILLINGs 01F SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND.

' FLYING-BOAT on OTHER AERIAL onarr.

Specificatiers Patent. Patented Aprogfi, 1916.,

Application filed July 7, 1914:. Serial No. $49,399.

The present lnventio-n. relates to improvevments in flying boats or other aerial craft of the type known as heavier than air craft, that is to say, craft which do not normally depend mainly or entirely on the presence of balloons or gas-containing envelopsfor their buoyancy in air. 7

One of the objects of the present invention is, for example in the case of a flying boat, to render such craft safer during and after alighting by improving the stability of the remainder of the craft. Whemflying arboat alights upon a surface of water, for instance, it is liable to be considerably tossed about and possibly overturned by reason of the fact that its wings present a large surface to the action of the wind; further, if the sea is rough the crests of the waves are liable to strike the wings and so alter the balance of the craft considerably. Again, the moment that the floats touch the water a considerable friction is introduced which acts only upon the floats and not upon the wings and other superstructure-so that the latter parts tend to tip forwardlyand if there is a following wind, the forward tipping tendency of the wings may be dangerously accentuated. These disadvantages, in so far as they relate to the action of. the wind upon the wings, and to the frictional resistance between the craft and the surface upon which it alights, apply equally t th aerial craft. 1

Theinvention is described as being ap-- plied to an aeroplane or hydroplane orflyingboat although it is to be understood that where the body of such a craft is referred to, it is applicable to any convenient car or body or structure to which wings or supporting surfaces may beYattached'. 'q

It is known that a construction of airship employing a bolloon or gas-bag as its 'ibuoyant supporting member, has been "suggested' in which a boat-likecar wasattached to the balloon in such manner: that it could b'e readily disconnected from its supports butthe present invention does no-t include in any. Way air-ships of such a character, but

as stated at the commencement of the specification relates only to air-ships of the heavier than air type.

According to the present invention a flying boat or other aerial craft has certain or all of its wings, or other devices used to support it in air, secured to the craft by a clutch or other releasing device and has also a lever or other operating member for the said clutch or device by which the aviator can, at will, detach the said parts, in order that, for example in the case of a flying boat, the stability of the remainder of the craft may be improved; in the case of a flying boat or airship. car the boat Will be left resting, with out a dangerously large superstructure, on

the surface upon which it alights. Thus, as the craft is alighting, the aviator can, i f

in his opinion the state of the wind or sea renders it necessary, detach the wings 'or other devices to bring about the above conditions. Preferably each detachable wing or the like-or each group of wings or the like is provided with a separate detaching device and the detaching device of all the wings or the like or of all the wings or the like of a group are'actuated by a single opcrating member.

' In one construction included in the present invention, a flying boat. or like aerial craft comprises a boat-hull and an aeroplane-portion which is separable from the boat-hull, is hollow at its forward end and is so shaped as. to fit over and after portion of the boat-hull.

envelop the The boathull is preferably cigar-shaped or is of stream-line formation while the body of the aeroplane-portion may conveniently constitute a slidingfit around a zone of the boat-hull just abaft of or approxlmately at 1 the middle of the length of the boat-hull. i

The invention alsoincludes, as independentintegers, the aeroplane-portion and the boat-portion "respectively; Means are pro vided for quickly securing the twp parts of the machine in their relative positions and also locking means securing the two partsso that the releasing mechanism cannot be operated when the craft is in flight.

These and other details of construction will be readily apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying' drawings which illustrate. preferred embodiments of the invention.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a diagram- -matic plan of an air-craft body and attaching mechanism for the wing-members; Fig. 2 illustrates diagrammatically the wingmembers and tail-planes asthey are leaving the body of the air-craft; Fig. 3 shows in enlarged detail the means for securing the main wings in position; Fig. 4 is .an enlarged detail of means holding a Wing spar in position; Fig. 5 is an end view from the right of Fig. 4; in Fig. 4 in a position to free the wing spar; Fig. 7 is an end view from theright of Fig. 6; Fig. 8 shoWs means for securing the ends of the drift wires to hold the wings in place; Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic front view of the air-craft showing the attachments for the locking device to prevent accidental release ofthe wings while the air-craft is in flight; Figs. 10 and 10* show diagrammatically, left and right halves, respectively, of another embodiment of the invention, in which thev draft is composed of a separate boat hull and aeroplane-portion; Fig. 11 is a detail on an enlarged scale of the tnansom or stem of the boat-portion and its adjacent parts; Fig. 12 is a detail of the butt joint between the outer edges of the two portions of the craft; Fig. 13 shows, diagrammati- Cally, means to lock the-releasemechanism employed in the construction shown in Fig. 10; Fig. 14 is a plan of Fig. 13; Fig. 15 is a diagrammatic elevation of a modified construction of. craft; Fig. 16 is a detail on an enlarged scale of means of the attachment of the aeroplane-portion to the boat-portion; Fig. 17 shows dlagrammatically a further modification of a construction in which a boat'and an aeroplane-portion are provided as separate integers; Fig. 18 is a detail on an enlarged scale showing the means of connection .between the two portions of the craft illustrated in Fig.,17; Fig. 19 is a par tial assembly view, some of the parts hav- 1ng been removed, of another modification;

Fig. 20 is an end view looking from the left of Fig. 19, parts having been broken away for the sake of clearness; Fig. 21 is a detail of construction showing one of the connections between the two portions of the craft, and Fig. 22.is a view. of a detail of another connection for the two parts of the craft, Like letters indicate like parts through out the drawings.

Referring to Figs. 1--9, the body of the craft A is cigar-shaped or of stream-line formation and has side wings B, tail-planes C and rudder C Means for attaching the wings in position are illustrated in detail in Figs. 3-7 and are described as applied to a biplane. The inner end of each :top spar is provided with a jaw D adapted to receive a key D. which is in the form of a flattened bar extending a sufiicient length longitudinally ofthe craft to engage the jaws on each of the two spars D diagrammatically shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Secured Fig. 6 shows the device illustrated tend to pull upon them to move to the key D so as to be movable with it is a lever-arm D The jaw D may be secured as alug or cap fitting over the end of the sparor may be formed as a portion thereof. As shown diagrammatically in Fig. 3, the key D is supported on a bracket D. spars are, at their inner ends, joined by struts D and to the lower spars are attached pins D hinged at D and adapted to slide in tubular'guides D secured to the lower. end of the supports D. When the key is in the position illustrated in Fig. 4, the jaws are locked to the supports D and when the key tion shown in free of the kej.

The lever-arm D is connected by a wire or other connector D with the lever E shown ,in Fig. 8, the function of which will be described hereinafter. Drift wires or stays D connect the lower planes to the hull or body of the craft in the following manner :Their inner ends pass through guidetubes A and'terminate in loops or shackles of such a size that they will easily slidethrough the tubes A illustrated in Fig. 8 at in their fixed end of a tapered slidin guides or bearin s E rod 1 is a on the end 5 of the. bell-crank lever E E. The latter ispivotally mounted at E in a bracket E. Operatively connected to and moving with the lever E is a sector E. hav- The shackles are D and are shown rod E moving in mg in it a notch or notches-to be enga ed by n the; to which are secured a a pawl E mounted on a shaft E shaft E are arms E wires or other connectors E passing over guide-pulleys E and connected, as shown in Fig. 9, to the drift wires D". Springs E secured to the lever-arms E normally the shaft E so as to disengage the pawl E from the notch in the sector E".

The tail-planes O vand rudder C are mounted on a separate cap C which fits over the rear end of the body A andlis provided with a key-way to engage a key A on the craft so that .when in position the cap C is prevented from rotating onthe craft about the longitudinal axis of the nectors G connected between .the cap and the planes as shown in Figs. land 2-.

With the construction just described in connection with Figs. 1-9 it will be seen that when it is desired to release the wings, the lever E is moved in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 8 which withdraws the rod E and releases the shackles D and at the same time, by means of the connector D moves the key D to free the jaws D. The weight of the planes will draw the jaws on the spar itself has been moved to the posi- Fig. 6 the jaws D can slide rojecting from the in 8 engaged by a stirrup E latter. The cap C is held in place by wires or other com.

The upper and lower position as threaded over the The wires or connectors E which are secured to the drift wires D hold the pawl E tightly in engagement with the. notch inthe sector E when the craftis in flight as, under these conditions, the drift wires 1) will be in tension. It will be seen that during flight the locking device is operative to pre.

vent the actuation of the detaching means but when at rest is inoperative or reversely operated so permitting the detachment of the wings or other supports- Thus, the

.1 lever E cannot be readily removed and in plane-portion G. The boat is preferably ofstream-line form as illustrated, and is provided with a step or shoe F on that part of fact may be positively held from movement during the time that the craft is flight.

As soon, however, as the craft alights andv the tension in the wires D is ,slackened, the spring E withdraws the pawl E from en gagement with the notch in the sector E and the lever is free to release the parts as just described. Any convenient means may be employed to sever or disconnect thewires E and this may be conveniently done by a p n or like connection E for securing the wires E 'to the lever E which pin or connection is withdrawn by movement of the lever E through the medium of connecting wires or the like E diagrammatically shown in Figs. 8 and 9. "In place of the detent or pawl E being held in place by the tension of the drift wires it could of course be normally held in place by'means of a stron spring and released by connection with bracing wires or the like normally aiding in sustaining the weight of the planes when the craft is at rest. Such wires would come into operation to counteract the action of the spring when the craft has alighted 9n the surface on which it is to land. Alternatively, in place of the detent E t a foot- 1 controlled detent orcatch could be employed normally held by means of a spring or the like to arrest the movement of the lever E.

In Figs. 10-14 a modified construction according to the invention is illustrated and in this case there. are providedyas two separate integers, aboat-hull F and an aero-' it in front of the aeroplane-portion and has a tapered tail-portion as shown in dotted- Within the boat-hull is an enlines atF gine, diagrammatically shown at F and a main shaft H extends rearwardly tobe con nected with the aeroplanerpropellers in the manner described more fully hereinafter.

connected with the main shaft H is a propeller-shaft H the connection is conveniently a chain H andspur-wheels or the like on the two shafts. Preferably a clutch is employed to maintain the shaft H out ofof the boat-hull and to abut, at G against an annular flangeon the boat-hull formed by the junction ofthe front and rear portions of the boat, This construction is illustrated more particularly in Fig. 12, in which is shown a packing ring G made of rubber or other convenient packing material to form a water-tight joint, between the two portions of the craft.

The body of the aeroplane is continued in a tapered rearwardly extending portion of stream-line formation and is of such length that in conjunction with the forward portion of the boat-hull protruding beyond the aeroplane-hull the required over-all'dimen sion of the aeroplane-body is obtained Within the aeroplane-body just aft of the rea'rrnost portion of the boat-hull when the parts are assembled is a water-tight bulkhead G by which construction the whole of the body 'astern of the bulkhead is a water-tight buoyant compartment. The aeroplane-body supports the aeroplanewings, one of which isshown at G tailpieces G and rudders G inany well-known convenient manner.

When the two portions F and Gr of the machine have been assembled and when assembled they very much resemble a cigar held in a cigar-holder), they are held together in the following manner :A' wire or like connector J has" one end secured at J at the rear end of the aeroplane-hulland is provided, at that end, with an adjuster nut to regulate the tension. From the connector J four wires J 2 pass through guidetubes J in a bulkhead Jl which is watertight with the exception of the tubes and hull. The tubes J 5 at their. forward ends tight bulkhead J As shown more par 101.1-

"thence through the tubes J in the boatlarly in Fig 13, the wires J 2 terminate in loops or shackles. J which extend just clear of the end of'the tubes J Pins Kv sliding in guides K are eacli connected by a thin rod or other connector K to a disk K frotatably mounted on a shaft K*. The connectors K are secured to the disk more or less tangentially so that by rotation of the disk the pins K will be withdrawn from the shackles J,

two portions of the craft.

. A catch or detent ll projecting from" a member L engages within a notch in the disk K and is normallyflheld in engagement with the disk when the machine is in flight through the medium of a bridle L and a connector. L secured to one of the drift wires or the like as illustrated in connection with the construction shown in Figs. 19. Any' convenient means for. example similar means tothose described in connection with the construction shown in Figs. 1-9 may be employed for disconnecting the wire L from the bridle L whenit is desired to release the As in the previous example, the detent L is retracted by a spring L ,when the tension-on the wire L is removed but if desired the detent may be replaced by a. foot-controlled or other detent or such a device may be omitted altogther either by the present modification orfi'om the first desci'ibed construction. The detent L may be connected with a wire which is slack when in flight but is in tension when the craft'has alighted as suggested in connection with the first described embodiment of the invention Other connectors for holding the two parts together Jmay be employed if desired. For example, wires from boat hull Y 'or other connector so that they can be the 'main planes may be brought dowmto the and may be connected with a pin slipped in -the' manner described in connection with Figs. 1-9 by movement of another lever 01'- by suitable connection with the disk K.

The engine F at any other position which may be eter mined by the requisite balance of the craft. The axis of the driving shaft is generally coincident, or approximately so, with thex's of the craft and projects through a p cked gland (.not shown forthe sake of.-- clearness in the drawings) in the stern or transom F of the boat-hull. The portion of the shaft protruding through the boathull is formed with a squared end H3 and is received and supported in a. bearing H in the bulkhead J The square end of the shaft passes through a similarly-shaped socket on hole in two chain-Wheels H which, in their turn, drive chains connected ,with' two aerialpropellers disposed one on either side of the center line of the craft. Disposed between the transom F 4 and the bulkhead J 4 is a spring M which, when the parts are assembled, is normally compressed so that assqon as the wires J 2 are released the spring exerts a force to separate the two portions of the craft.

It will be readily understood that when it is desired to'discard or do away-with theis preferably disposed in the--boat-hull approximately amidshi s or K from the shackles J 7 when the wires J 2 will be released and will be drawn through the tubes J and J while the shaft will draw out from the chain-wheels H as will be readily understood.- Preferably between the chain-wheels H? and the shaft'I-I is a sleeve H which is shaped to cooperate with the shaft H and is held in the bearings H and supports the wheels H. When the two parts have been separated the boat-portion may move away and is driven by the propeller H on the shaft H the clutch for that shaft'having been put into'operation by the aviator.

Although the invention has been decompanying drawings, it is not limited to the-details illustrated therein and modifications may be made provided that the spirit of the invention is not departed from. For example, the space bounded by the rearward portion of the boat-hull, the forward portion of the aeioplane body and the bulkhead within the aeroplane-body may, if desired, form a receptacle for a hydrogen bag or bags containing gas under pressure so that when the two portions of the craft are separated the hydrogen may expand and fill the forward space of the body-portion of the aeroplane.

It is within the invention to divide the power plant, having one unit in the boathull and another -'unit in the body of the aeroplane 'portion, the two power units being interconnected in any convenient mani '[Where the pbwer-shaft extends through its; bearing inthe bulkhead in the body portion of the aeroplane the hearing may be covered by a leather or other'water-tight hood so that the bearing orifice shall not destroy the water-tight characteristic of the rearward portion of the body of the aeroplane-portion. Further, if'the craft is provided with separate steering wings it may be desired to retain these and in this case only the other wings would be detached, preferably in the manner illustrated in Figs. V 1-9. If the machine be a biplane it may be considered desirable to detach only a certain section of the planes and it is contemplated, according to the present invention, that any group or groups of planes may be arranged to be simultaneously detached.

With the construction illustrated in Figs. 10-14, it will be seen that the aerial ropellers are discarded together with the wingsurfaces and ifdesired a power plant, as has already been stated, may be included in the. aeroplane-portion and may be discarded with it.

A furthermodified construction is shown in connection with Figs. 15 and 16 in which the boat-portion O is constructed asa hydrodisk or hand-wheel K to withdraw the pins plane or skimming boat, and has secured to it an aeroplane-portion denoted generally by the reference letter O on which the supinsane? tion with the boat-body then secured to the lib inner ends of the lower planes) is-a saddle O which fits over the after portion of the hull of the boat 0. The saddle O and aeroplane portion 0 with its attendant parts are held to the craft by means similar in their arrangement to those described for holding the wings in place in the construction illustrated in Figs. 1 to 9; that is to say. as shown more particularly in Fig. 16 a key 0 extends through jaws ()at the extremities of arms disposed on either side of the boat-hull; also by means of a sliding pin-connection at or near the opposite edge of the plane and shown as a pin pivoted at O and adapted to slide in a guide O Conveniently vdrift wires (not shown in the drawings) are secured between the aeroplane-portion and the boat-hull in a similar manner to that described in connection with Figs. 1 to 9 and these wires are released as the key 0 is operated to release the jaws 0 by the movement of asingle lever as was the case with the construction illustrated in Figs. 1 to 9; M

In Figs. 17 and 18 a further modification is described in which the hull of the craft is substantially cigar-shaped or of a streamline formation and is in two portions, the

forward portion constituting a boat-hull and the after portion constituting a support for the aeroplane wings'and tail pieces. Thus the boat-portion is shown at Pand the body of the'aeroplane-portion at P These parts, are secured together as shown in Fig. 18 by means of pins 1P secured on the sloping rear end of the boat-portion and adapted to engage with eyebolts P on the correspondingly sloped forward end of the aeroplane-portion. When the pins P and eyebolts P have been engaged and thetwo portions of the craft are in their correct relative positions a hollow centralizing and locking pin Q conveniently mounted for axial movement in the rear end of the boatportion is moved by the lever-connections- Q Q to pass into a guide or 'recessQ provided'at the forward end of the aeroplanehull.

Pins P are mounted in a bulkhead P, which may be provided with an interior bulkhead to form a water-tight construction while the eyebolts are mountedin a bulkhead P in the aeroplane-portion. The bulkheads are, as will readily be understood slotted or bored to enable the pin Q, which is preferably hollow as illustrated, to pass through them'and into the guide Q As in the previous constructions drift rdrift wires may be released by movement of the lever Q as it is operated to remove the pin Q from the guide or socket Q 7 In both the constructions illustrated in Figs. 15to 18the details may be varied to suit requirements to be met with in practice provided that the spirit of the invention is not departed from.

In Figs. 19-22 the boat is shown at R while of the aeroplane-body the forward part is shown at S. It terminates toward the rear with the customary body, tailplanes, elevators and rudders as is usual in such craft. The rear portion of the boat is inclined as at R and on this rear portion the forward portion of the aeroplane-body fits and abuts against an offset or projection R on the boat-portion. The projection R is shown more clearly in Fig. 21, in which figure is also shown part of the means for holding the two parts of the craft together.

in the partition or projecting portion R and is adapted to receive a bolt U secured to and projecting from the forward bulkhead S of the aeroplaneportion S.

In the transom orstern of the boat-per tion is a socket V *(Fig. 22) suitably held in place andistrengthened as required, which 'lis adaptedto receive a pin or connector S which is rigidly secured to the aeroplaneportion. A metal band or strap X as shown in Fig. 21 surrounds the junction between the parts R and S to further strengthen the connection. To the-wing frame of the aeroplane-portion are attached floats W which fit closely to and co-act with the slopingsides of the boat-hull R to aid in further holding the parts together. Thus, to assemble the parts, the two portions are approached toward one another until the forward portion-of the aeroplane-body rests upon the inclined portion atthe rear of the boat-hull. The bolt U is engaged by the nut T which is then rotated by the crankhandleT to drawthe parts tightly to ether '7 and during this operation the pin 2 engages in the socket and the floats W slide 1n on either side against the side of the boathull'R- and the connection between the two portions is complete.

An engine X has suitable connections between its shaft X and countershafts X and X which latter are geared to propellershafts X and X for driving the craft in connection latter chain-wheel may be journaled in suitable bearings provided on the boat and the shaft X mounted in bearings on the aeroof a biplane construction are shown in de tail. 4

For the purpose of operating the necessary controls gear-wheels Z are mounted on a part connected with the boat-body and are adapted to mesh with other gear-wheels Z mounted upon the aeroplane-hull when the parts are in their assembled position.' The gear-wheels Z areoperated from control levers of any convenient type, such for example as those illustrated diagrammatically at Z Z while the gear-wheels Z are with, and operate the several parts such as the wings, rudder, elevator, etc.

In the other constructions illustrated similar operative connections between the control levers and the various wing-surfaces or other controlling means operated by the control levers may be employed.

It will be readily understood that when it is required to separate the the lower wing-tips, as shown diagrammatically at W so that the aeroplane-portion will float as a whole evenly on the surface of the water when it has been released from or discarded from the boat.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is LA heavier-than-air aerial craft, comprising a combined boat and car portion,

and a separable plane carrying portion, rigid but the two portions, and means whereby said connections can be detached at will by an operator in the combined boat and car portion, substantially as described.

2. A heavierthan-air aerial craft, comprising a combined boat and car portion having a power plant therein, a separable plane carrying portion, rigid but detachable connections between the two portions. and detaching means whereby an operator in the combined boat and car portion may disconnect said portions at will without losor sliding coupling. The shaft by the aviator to means to separate two portionsof the craft all that is necessary is to rotLbe detachable connections between ing control of the power plant, substantially as described.

3. An aerial craft comprising in combination a boat, a complete aeroplane-structure which is adapted to be mounted upon a portion of the boat-hull and is separable therefrom, positioning means to locate the aeroplane-portion on the boat-hull, means to secure together the "boat and the aeroplane-structure and means operable at will the boat and the aeroplane-structure.

4. An aerial craft comprising in combination, a boat, a complete aeroplane-structure separable from the boat, an offset on release the said securing the body of the boat-hull to engage the forward end of the aeroplane-structure, means to secure together the boat and the aeroplane-structure, and means operable at will by the aviator to release the said securing means to separate the boat and the aeroplane-structure. I

5. An aerial craft comprising in combination, a boat, a complete aeroplane structure adapted tobe mounted upon a portion of the boat-hull and separable therefrom, an offset on the body of the boat-hull to engage the forward end of the aeroplanestructure, means to secure together the boat and the aeroplanestructure and means operable at will by the aviator to release the said securing means to separate the boat and the aeroplane-structure.

6. An aerial craft comprising in combination, a boat, a complete aeroplane-structure adapted to be mounted upon a portion of the boat-hull and separable therefrom, positioning means to locate the aeroplaneportion on the boat-hull, an offset on the body of the boat-hull to engage the forward end of the aeroplane-structure, means to secure togethervthe boat and the aeroplane-structure and means operable at will by the aviator to release the said securing means to separate the boat and the aeroplane-structure. I

An aerial craft comprising in combination, a boat-hull having its rear portion inclined to the longitudinal axis of the craft, a complete aeroplane-structure separable therefrom and having its forward end inclined to correspond with the inclination of the' rear portion of the boat-hull and to contact therewith, means to secure together the boatv and the aeroplane-structure, and

- means operable at will by the aviator to of the rearportion of the boat-hull and to contact therewith, positioning means to locate the'aeroplane-portion on the boat-hull,

means to secure together the boat and aero plane-structure and means operable at will by the aviator to release the said securing means to separate the boat and the aeroplane-structure.

9. An aerial craft comprising in combi-.

means operable at will by the aviator to release the said securing means to separate the boat and the aeroplane-structure.

10. An aerial craft comprising in combination, a boat-hull having its rear portion inclined to the longitudinal axis of the craft, a complete aeroplane-structure separable therefrom and having its forward end inclined to correspond with the inclination of the rear portion of the boat-hull and to contact therewith, an ofl'set on the body of the-boat-hull to engage the forward end of the aeroplane-structure,- positioning means to locate the aeroplane-portion on the boathull,'means to secure together the boat and aeroplane-structure and means operable at will by the aviator to release the said securing means to separate the boat and the aeroplane-structure.

11. An aerial craft comprising in co1nbination, a boat, a complete aeroplane-struc- Y ture which is separable from the boat and whose forward portion is adapted to overlie the rearward portion of an offset on the boat-hull to'engage the forward end of the aeroplane-structure, a tensioning deviceto drawthe forward end of the aeroplane-structure tightly against the devices between the said offset, holding stern of the boat and the aeroplane-structure, positioning means on the aeroplanestructure to locate itv on the boat-hullnand means operable by the aviator at will'to release the said tensioning device.

12. An aerial craft comprising in combinationfa boat, a complete aeroplane-structure which is separable from the boat and whose forward portion is adapted to overlie the rearward portion of. the boat-hull, the contacting surfaces between the boat and aeroplane-structure being correspondingly inclined downwardly toward the stern of the boat, an offset on "the boat-hull to engage the forward end of the aeroplanestructure, a tensioning device to draw the forward end of the aeroplane structure the boat-hull,

tightly against the said offset, holding devices between the stern of the boat and the aeroplane-structure, positioning means on the aeroplane-structure to locate it on the boat-hull and :means operable by the aviator at will to release the said tensioning device.

13. An aerial craft comprising in combination, a boat, a complete aeroplane-structure which is separable from the boat and whose forward portion is adapted to overlie the rearward portion of the boat-hull, an offset on the boat-hul'lto engage the forward end of the aeroplanestructure, a tensioning device to draw the forward end of the aeroplane-structure tightly against the said offset, holding devices between the stern of the boat and the aeroplane-structure, guides projecting downwardly from the aeroplane-structure to engage on either side of the boat-hull,'and means operable by the aviator at will to release the said tensioning device.

let. An aerial craft comprising in combination, a boat, a complete aeroplane-structure which is separable from the boat and whose forward portion is adapted to overlie the rearward portion of the boat'hull,

an offset on the boat-hull to engage the forward end of the aeroplane'structure, a tensioning device to draw the forward end of the aeroplalie-structure tightly against the said offset, holding devices between the stern of the boat and the aeroplane-structure, floats depending downwardly from the aeroplane-structure and adapted to engage on either side of the boat-hull, and means operable by the aviator at will torelease the said tensioning device.

15. An aerial craft comprising in combination, a boat, a complete aeroplane-structure whichis separable from the boat and whose forward portion is adapted to overlie the rearward portion of'the boat-hull, an offset on the boat-l1ull to engage the forward end of the aeroplane-structuraa tensioning device to draw the for-ward end of the aeroplane-structure tightly against the said offset, holding devices between the stern of the boat and the aeroplane-strucbination, a boat, a'complete aeroplane-structure which is separable from the boat and whose forward portion is adapted to overlie the rearward portion of the boat-hull.

the contacting surfaces between the boat and- 

